After 58 years without a European title, West Ham won the Conference Europa League by beating Fiorentina

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: Richard HEATHCOTE / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP 23:50 p.m., June 07, 2023, modified at 23:54 p.m., June 07, 2023

English club West Ham won the Conference Europa League with a 2-1 victory over Italian side Fiorentina on Wednesday in Prague to win their first continental title since 1965. David Moyes' men won thanks to a late goal from Jarrod Bowen (90th). The Hammers' Algerian striker Saïd Benrahma opened the scoring on a penalty kick (62nd) before Giacomo Bonaventura's Italian equaliser five minutes later.

The Hammers succeed AS Roma, who took the first edition of the C4 last year, and secure a place in the Europa League next season. They won their first trophy since an FA Cup in 1980. On the European scene, their previous title was at the 1958 Cup Winners' Cup.

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New disillusionment for Fiorentina

For Fiorentina, on the other hand, it is a new disappointment after their defeat in the final of the Coppa Italia against Inter Milan on May 24. At the Eden Arena in Prague, filled with 18,000 spectators, the two teams, who finished respectively 14th in the Premier League and 8th in Serie A, neutralized each other in a first half during which West Ham took only one shot on target, by Jamaican striker Michail Antonio (1st).

The Italians were denied an offside goal by Serbian striker Luka Jovic (45+3). The Londoners opened the scoring shortly after the hour mark on a penalty whistled after a hand foul by La Viola captain Cristiano Biraghi, confirmed by VAR. Saïd Benrahma scored strongly on the right by deceiving goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano (62).

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Cup throws

But the Fiorentina players did not give up, and equalized five minutes later thanks to a cross into the box of midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura (1-1, 67). La Viola took control of the game to try to get to safety, with a shot from 12 meters from Mandragona just next door (72), or a strike from distance from Biraghi easily caught by French international goalkeeper Alphonse Aréola (76).

"It feels good, it's been difficult for everyone... we enter the history of the club, "commented the latter at the microphone of Canal +. "It feels good to add a European Cup to my record, this one, it's quite special because I played it from start to finish," added the Frenchman who was the designated goalkeeper for C4 matches this season West Ham attacked in the last ten minutes and Jarrod Bowen, well launched in the back of the Italian defence by Lucas Paqueta. beat Terracciano with a heavy strike (90).

"Of course, I dreamed of scoring, but scoring the winning goal in the last minute is what we all want to do," Bowen said. "And to do it in front of these fans, I almost cried, I'm happy."